An aerosol is a suspension of fine solid particles or liquid droplets in a gas. There is a need to collect and analyze the particles of an aerosol especially where the particles of aerosol are unidentified or include pollutants that must be monitored or limited. There have been numerous attempts to provide instruments far the collection and analysis of particles of an aerosol. However, each of these approaches has had certain drawbacks. As such, there is a need for improved real-time or semi-continuous methods and apparatus for the collection and analysis of particles of an aerosol.